Questions about generated hash codes in MS SQL.

I have seen tables created by others that generate hash code.
How do you do that , as in auto-increment, what is it's purpose and how can I utilize it?
Experts please keep in mind that I use the SQL Management Studio GUI and not code directly.
Still a newb.

Or you could be refering to the HASHBYTES() function that converts character data to binary. So the following:
SELECT HASHBYTES('SHA1', 'Experts-Exchange')
has the following output:
0xA099D38703F2B29940E51DF06CD5FB3C6F42C023

Good point, Anthony! I got caught up in the "auto-increment" part of the question which made me thing it was for use as primary key. I guess HASHBYTES() can be used in that capacity also. GUID just comes to mind first for me as the system I manage ONLY uses GUIDs as record IDs, so I stare at them all day. ;)

Hello , sorry for the tardy reply. I had a bad cold and was out for days. :(

Wow OK, please let me know if I grasp this correctly.
There are 2 ways to utilize this:

1) A GUID? A unique identifier , not sure what the G is for.
What woudl I use this for in real world? Use this instead of a regular inceremental ID that goes like 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, etc?
How do I activate that. Please forgive I am still learning.

2) As HASHBYTES as a way to encrypt the information.
Why else would I want to make the data binary if I may ask?
More importantly what is the process to convert them into Binary and then convert them back?

1) Globally Unique IDentifier (GUID). Yes, you could use this as a primary key, instead of an incrementing integer. You would activate it by setting the column data type to UNIQUEIDENTIFIER and using NEWID() or NEWSEQUENTIALID() as the default value binding based on your needs per examples - http:#36894541

2) HASHes are one way. If you want to convert back, you want Encryption/Decryption. Typically you hash data that is necessary in storage, e.g., password, but is very sensitive so you do not want the data readable at rest. Instead, your application always talks and compares in the same hash algorithm. Continuing the example, user enters clear text password, it is hashed to SHA1, then compared to the database stored value. You would not try to make the db value clear text then compare as that defeats the purpose of your security on the column.

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